The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-17

ut is worthy OF note" continued
the suicide statistician, that in the
last ofhcia, report of 1000 cases OF
suicide in the United States 10 SIN
gle year, l73 are given as occurring
in Illinois, while in New York State,
with nearly double the population,
there were but l66. How 10 account
for this do not know. There are
some peculiar facts about this mania
which | do not recollect having any
where seen intelligently summarized.
The largest number OF suicides oc-
ours between The ages OF forty.fye
and fifty. | suppose that just as the
prime Of life is past ones troubles
begin 10 appear darker aud darker 10
him, and the will power aud moral
stamina grow correspondingly weak
or. August, that dreadful hot month,
is the leading suicidal month, both
in this country and Europe, which
may be easily accounted for. 10 hot
weather the weak aud sick aud mel
ancholic are at the lowest ebb, phys
ical.y aud spiritually, refreshing
sleep is not easily had, and the result
Is an epidemic Of self. destruction.
In Europe the smallest number of
suicides occurs in December, while
the minimum is reached ia America
in January aud February.
The most fruitful cause OF sui.
cider Insanity. Tnis, however, il in
many cases an unsatisfactory defui-
ton. IL is the fashion 10 attribute
self.destruction TO temporary insan-
ity or alteration, when other causes
would be more appropriate. As a
matter OF fact nine out Of ten cases
would, with no great strength OF the
prophecies, he attributed 10 mental
downfall. But taking the statistics
as we find them we have about one
fourth Of the total number Of sui
cides, or 400 out OF q total Of 1000,
set down as the result OF insanity.
Next comes family troubles with
halt as many (2l2), and business
troubles, with one fourth a. many
Ql5), aud love troubles rather more
than business endorsements, or
III Under these four specific heads
we find more than one half the cases,
or nearly 900 in all. Dissipation is
fifth, with 81; sickness sixth. with
81 destitution seventh, with So; un.
dergoing or threated with punish.
ment eighth, with 80; grief ninth,
with III, and csagrin at parental dis.
cipline tenth, with y.
As | said before, however, not
much reliance can be placed on this
classification Of causes. Often the
true cause is not known, or is con.
cealod by the aeceased's relatives
and friends. venture the assertion,
based upon careful study OF the 70.
ports oil suicides, newspaper and
statistical, during the last ten years,
that three-iourths OF the suicides in
this country are caused, directly or
indirectly, by drink and gambling:
Drink brings on physical ailments,
destitution, grief, modification, fam.
lily trouble, love trouble, insanity,
alteration. mental aud moral weak.
ness aud the whole catalogue OF sui
eide causes. Gambling is often the
outgrow,h OF dri K, as are other
forms Of dissipation sure 10 end ia
disgrace aud sometimes 10 death by
ones own hand. Religious morbid.
ness Ia smother fruitful cause OF self.
destruction which does not show as
conspiouously rs IL ought in the re-
ports. | think that more than one.
half Of the persons who take their
own lives are secretly morbid con.
corning the problem Of a future